The Most Beautiful & The Ugliest Cars: Acura

[cawimmer430]

Let's have a rundown of all the major car brands from A to Z.

The rules are simple. Each week you have to post your TOP 3 MOST BEAUTIFUL and TOP 3 MOST HIDEOUS cars from the named brand, and tell us a little something why you find them pretty or ugly.

We begin this new CarSpin series with Acura!


Now, my personal experience with this brand is extremely limited. The only car on my list which I have seen in person is the Acura (Honda) Legend, which was sold here as an upmarket Honda but was a total sales flop. They are handsome cars, however. My list of the top three most beautiful Acuras is solely based on design that I see in the photos. The 2nd generation Legend sedan and coupe are handsome and dynamic looking, as is the Vigor. I personally am used to the "Acura" NSX being a Honda and would probably mention it there once we get to "H".


TOP 3 MOST BEAUTIFUL ACURAS

1) Second-generation Legend Sedan




2) Second-generation Legend Coupe




3) Vigor






Here are my top 3 ugliest Acuras, and they're all SUVs because I am not crazy about SUVs and because I genuinely find these to be stylistically ugly and a dead end.

TOP 3 UGLIEST ACURAS

1) ZDX




2) RDX




3) MDX

[giant_mtb]

I'll never understand how somebody saw that snaggletooth front end (especially on something like the ZDX) and said "yep, looks good, make it!" 

[cawimmer430]

I'll never understand how somebody saw that snaggletooth front end (especially on something like the ZDX) and said "yep, looks good, make it!" 

Yeah, it's nasty.

Plus, the whole "SUVs that look like a sports coupe" style is really ugly: BMW X4/X6 and Mercedes GLE Coupe... hideous.

[Cookie Monster]

Cmon mang how you post the three most beautiful Acuras and don't include the NSX.

[MX793]

Cmon mang how you post the three most beautiful Acuras and don't include the NSX.

Not an Acura outside of the US.  Granted, nor were most of their cars up until very recently.

[BimmerM3]

I'll never understand how somebody saw that snaggletooth front end (especially on something like the ZDX) and said "yep, looks good, make it!" 

Sometimes it's more about looking distinctive than looking good.

[cawimmer430]

Cmon mang how you post the three most beautiful Acuras and don't include the NSX.

Read my whole post... 

[Laconian]

TSX Wagon, aka the Honda Accord Wagon. Definitely one of the best looking Acuras out there. Let's hear it for Honda's designers and their tasteful classy customers!

[BimmerM3]

TSX Wagon, aka the Honda Accord Wagon. Definitely one of the best looking Acuras out there. Let's hear it for Honda's designers and their tasteful classy customers!

Oh, I forgot you had one of those awhile back. I even got to ride in it when we went to dinner with other Charlie. A nice looking car indeed.

I can't remember - why'd you get rid of it?

[Laconian]

Lease ran out, and the car's value after depreciation was lower than the lease buyback amount. So, we had no attachment to that particular car.

I think the car could've used more torque.

[BimmerM3]

Lease ran out, and the car's value after depreciation was lower than the lease buyback amount. So, we had no attachment to that particular car.

I think the car could've used more torque.

Ah, that makes sense. I forgot it was a lease.

[MX793]

Beautiful:

Legend
[already pictured]

'91-'01 NSX


'04-'06 TL


Honorable mention to the 1st generation TSX.

Ugliest:
'09+ TL


MDX (all generations)
[already pictured]

ZDX
[already pictured]

[12,000 RPM]

I still think the TLX looks like an Alfa with a little help.



Wimmer it seems you have a real affinity for the Japanese pillarless sedan. Here you go:

https://ateupwithmotor.com/model-histories/japanese-four-door-hardtops/

[Laconian]

I have to say that the TSX's 2.4 is the smoothest 4 I've ever driven. Subaru is soooooo coarse by comparison.

[giant_mtb]

Sometimes it's more about looking distinctive than looking good.

True enough, but damn they fucked up.

Some of their snaggleteeth are better than others, though, I will admit.

[CALL_911]

I like that gen RDX's looks actually. The new one looks cheap imo.

My girlfriend has a first gen RDX, and it's not a bad car. I don't love it though.

[12,000 RPM]

New RDX needs better wheels

[Speed_Racer]

Great idea for a series!

BEST:

• Legend coupe
• TL Type S

• NSX w/ flush headlights

WORST:

• ZDX (though it was ahead of its time w/ the SUV coupe thing)
• Final RL

• RDX

[Laconian]

ZDX botches the coupe-SUV pretty badly. The roofline is insanely bad. I'll bet it's caused a non-negligible number of concussions for backseat passengers over the years...

[cawimmer430]

The NSX definitely looks good, but I've always thought of it as a Honda and not as an Acura. Here it was sold as a Honda and I'm used to [rarely] seeing them as Hondas.

[2o6]

Best:

1994 Legend Coupe. This car has some really elegant proportions, and arguably it's a better execution of personal luxury than the contempoary Cadillac Eldorado.




1995 Facelift Integra sedan. Not much to look at, due to how ubiquitous it is these days, but JDM "hardtop" sedans I think really make a car look more expensive over it's regular counterpart.




2005+ Acura TL - good proportions, and has an air of luxury; without feeling or looking like a rebodied Accord. Very chunky and athletic.




Worst:

2012 ILX - weird face, Dodge Avenger esque C-pillar



2016+ MDX - there's been a lot of proportion changes that make the car look less expensive. Now it looks like the Honda Odyssey and Honda Pilot it's based on. Part of that is the lack of haunches, the kind of low rear window, and the overall somewhat tippy (by comparison to the old car) stance.




ZDX - weird proportions and an ugly beak. It's a coupe-SUV, but the roofline ruins any semblance of practicality (not the case in the X6). It also looks worse in person.



1998 Acura CL - gross rear end. Bland front end.

[Raza]

Hard to choose the three ugliest from a brand that hasn't made a good looking, non-vomit inducing car in 10 years.

[Lebowski]

I agree NSX and the Legends were very good looking cars in their time and have held up well over time.

Ugliest is a toss up between everything they have sold in the past 10 years. Really sad what has happened to this brand IMO.

[cawimmer430]

Hard to choose the three ugliest from a brand that hasn't made a good looking, non-vomit inducing car in 10 years.

Well there's the NSX, but I personally view it as a Honda because I grew up seeing them as Hondas and not Acuras.

[MX793]

Well there's the NSX, but I personally view it as a Honda because I grew up seeing them as Hondas and not Acuras.

The last year for the OG NSX was over 10 years ago, and the new ones are just OK.

[cawimmer430]

The last year for the OG NSX was over 10 years ago, and the new ones are just OK.

The new NSX doesn't get my heart pumping. I don't even like the facelift version of the original NSX mainly because of the clear headlights, which I feel take away the stealthiness of the original design. The original NSX is a clean and beautiful design. Definitely one of the highlights of the boring 1990s (in terms of car design).

[FoMoJo]

I looked, but could find nothing than can be considered beautiful.  The Legend Coupe was not 'bad' looking, but far from beautiful.

[cawimmer430]

I looked, but could find nothing than can be considered beautiful.  The Legend Coupe was not 'bad' looking, but far from beautiful.

Totally fine. :)